Calling all roosts!

[aran]

I made a kind of a ladder with 3 roosts on it at 3 heights. I first laid 2 pieces of 2x4 about 4'long about 4' apart for the base. Then i used increasing length 4x2 "up-struts" ( 1st pair are 12" high, then 20" high then the last is 28" high) on each base piece about 14 inches apart give or take. Then i used 2x2 for the roost pieces which I attached to the up struts with screws. Seems to work real well. Took about 10 mins to make and was made from off cut scraps so really cost basically nothing. My birds are on it constantly. I also put the height of the 3rd roost at the back at the same height as the window so they can look out while they are roosting.

 

[allen wranch]

Some things to consider:
Flat roosts are not hard on the breast bone unless the birds spend most of their time roosting, and it usually only applies to the heavier breeds.

Because of their size, chickens do not naturally grip with their feet the way other birds do, so the round roosts are harder for them to balance on. Same thing for narrow roosts. However, some use them successfully as the chickens adapt.

If you use tree branches, pick the larger ones and be sure to sand off any rough or sharp edges to prevent bumblefoot.

When you place your roosts think of the height in relationship to the size (or eventual size) of your birds. The heavier breeds need lower roosts (around 36") to prevent leg and feet injuries when they come down off the roosts.

A chicken will use a ladder to go up to a roost, but if you watch them descend, most will jump down. Consider this also in the placement and height of your roosts.

 

[4myHennyPenny]

Quote:
Interesting idea! So what do some of the other chicken experts out there think? Is this likely to work, or do I need to look at a redesign which would put my nest at or below the same level as the roost?

 

[Jsto]

Quote:
Thanks. We made a temporary natural one today and are still trying to figure out how to do this. It will be on the 5' wall, yet the way we put it, so it wasn't taking up half of the coop, only allowed 2 roosts and it just looks....wrong. The 'frame' boards on the side were angled at 45*, maybe we can go steeper. If we try to extend, the bottom of the roosting 'ladder' takes up WAY too much coop space. Is that ok? Just occurred to me that once older, sleeping and laying is basically all they'll be doing in the coop anyway.

I don't know. I'll have to take a picture tomorrow and maybe someone can tell me what I've done wrong.

 

[AtRendeAcres]

O.K.
so what I have gotton so far is 2x4's are better.
How about 2x2's?

and 12 to 18 inches form wall

???
can you have nesting boxes the same height as the roost if a different wall?